“Suffering is the result of actions guided by bad thinking and happiness is the result of actions based on good thinking. This is a universal fact common to all human beings. Hence we should make a great attempt to make our minds wholesome”

– Venerable B. Dhammaratana,

~~~Benefits of Meditation~~~

1. Encourages you to be calm, relaxed and less stressed2. Develops your concentration and sharpness of mind3. Gives you insight into your body and mind4. Helps you understand truths about yourself and the world5. Teaches you how to better handle difficulties in your life6. Gives you inner refuge, intuition and guidance for making choices in your life7. Helps you avoid wrong decision-making and do the right thing8. Increases your ability to be present, alive, and to have equanimity in this fast changing world9. Develops kindness, compassion and wisdom10. Helps to be more aware of your thoughts and actions (awake)

Why is Meditation Relevant to My Life?

It is no surprise that most of us live stressful lives in the modern day world. Studies have shown that the elevated sense of anxiety experienced daily make little but progressive inroads into our psyche. With time, these little inroads form highways of how we perceive change and process emotion. Eventually anxiety, irritability and anger become the automatic manner we respond to daily matters.

Imagine the long-term devastating effects of this trait as it becomes ingrained into personality. Coupled with daily anxiety, it is no wonder that physical disease and mental illness subsequently manifests itself in the individual.

Depression is broadly defined as a medical condition that affects how you think and behave, and the way you feel and function. According to the World Health Organisation, it is one of the most common mental health problems and is faced by over 121 million people worldwide.

Yet our ability to think is what sets us apart from animals. However this same benefit can also become a crippling attribute. On any given day, approximately 60,000 thoughts run through a person’s mind, 95% of which is repeated over and over again. The mind is a constant hub of activity, not the most productive of course, since it is scientifically proven that stress and worry cause more harm than good.

Fortunately for us, the practice of meditation gives us a break from thinking. It is the opportunity to be present in both body and mind, wherever you are, in whatever you do. It is about according something or someone with the time, respect and attention it needs.

Meditation is the antithesis to multi-tasking, a symptom of modern day life and a virtue that is over rated. Recent studies have increasingly shown that multi-tasking actually reduces rather than improves, one’s productivity. Even the most complex swiss-army knife can only do one thing at a time.